The cool thing about being a high school band director is that, unlike so many other disciplines, we get to see our students grow and develop not just over a single school year or semester, but over four years or more. I haven't been in DC long enough to experience an entire "cycle" of kids, but as May quickly approaches, I start to think about those that will leave us in a few weeks and about those that will be joining us in the fall.
Most of the band seniors are going to be incredibly successful in something other than music. They'll go on to be doctors, lawyers, and chemical engineers (they certainly have the grades/ACTs for it!). A few each year decide to go into music as a profession. As cool as that is, I'm no less proud of those that choose other fields. Studying music has been an incredible factor in the development of those kids, too! The lessons learned in high school band over four years go far beyond notes and rhythms. With all the different directors, they've certainly learned how to adapt to change! We all know that it doesn't stop there; the skills and benefits they have gained are innumerable and the friendships they've nurtured are priceless. We'll miss the class of 2011 - good luck guys!
We will be welcoming the class of 2015 to DCHS this fall. There are 34 musicians from DCHS/DCMS that have filled out requests for band! I envy them all - the experiences to which they don't even know to look forward will shape them just as they have the class of 2011. They will have 100 family members before the first day of the 2011-2012 school year. What bodes better for their success than to know they have that many people on which they can rely? If we are shaped by the choices that we make, how will their choice to devote their time and energy to the Band of Pride shape them over four years? I may be biased, but I think the answer is clear!
Most of the band seniors are going to be incredibly successful in something other than music. They'll go on to be doctors, lawyers, and chemical engineers (they certainly have the grades/ACTs for it!). A few each year decide to go into music as a profession. As cool as that is, I'm no less proud of those that choose other fields. Studying music has been an incredible factor in the development of those kids, too! The lessons learned in high school band over four years go far beyond notes and rhythms. With all the different directors, they've certainly learned how to adapt to change! We all know that it doesn't stop there; the skills and benefits they have gained are innumerable and the friendships they've nurtured are priceless. We'll miss the class of 2011 - good luck guys!
We will be welcoming the class of 2015 to DCHS this fall. There are 34 musicians from DCHS/DCMS that have filled out requests for band! I envy them all - the experiences to which they don't even know to look forward will shape them just as they have the class of 2011. They will have 100 family members before the first day of the 2011-2012 school year. What bodes better for their success than to know they have that many people on which they can rely? If we are shaped by the choices that we make, how will their choice to devote their time and energy to the Band of Pride shape them over four years? I may be biased, but I think the answer is clear!
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